Roger at this point retreats out of Kristen's spell casting range. They were at an impasse: she couldn't finish him off and he couldn't break that strange move of hers.
"What?" He cries as he's notified of Bryan's defeat. Tara practically materializes in front of him as he tries to wrap his head around Bryan's loss. Her fist was already rocketing forward with an energy-covered rapid jab!
"Guard Stance!" Roger quickly raises his great shield and braces himself.
"Sever Moonlight!" Tara counters as her fist meets the metal.
[Physical Block Successful!]
Roger sneers as a crescent wave of turquoise light disperses around him. He stabs his lance forward as Tara flips backwards out of the way. When his Calm Mind skill suddenly activates, which would reduce the damage of a high level magical attack by 20%, Roger's baffled as his mind takes three strikes!
[-426]
'Just what is she?' Was all he can think as his body turns into orbs of cobalt, phlox, and violet. Tara lands on her feet still in a fighting stance just as the delay of [Sever Moonlight] kicks in.
[Multiple recordings found with a name already decided. Would you like to compile them into a single video and share them on the international forums?]
Tara chose yes only to immediately receive another message:
[All videos are public. All In Game Name tags of participants will be released. You currently do not have an In Game Name tag. Please create one!]
Tara thinks for a moment before she remembers what the uncles and aunties at grandparents' companies call her. This name would later inspire and frighten.
[Starry River has shared the video titled White Mountain Vs. Blue River! Clash of the Youngest Generation!
"It looks like the battle for dominance in virtual reality between Blue River and White Mountain continues on! For now it seems the heiress of Blue River and their partner Starshine Industries has the upperhand. Will these youngsters be able to match their grandparents' legacy?" Asks one reporter before a large screen television in a boardroom is turned off.
"Looks like our niece is enjoying herself." A rumbling voice announces.
A burly, handsome middle-aged Chinese man in a periwinkle blue suit and white tie places the remote on the table. He sits one at one end of a long table. Despite towering over others in the room, his grin is warm and friendly.
"After seeing what she can do, will you reconsider restarting in Story mode, Guotin?" A sweet voice asks from directly across from him. A similar aged Indian woman wearing a blood red salwar kalweeze scrutinized him from behind her silver glasses.
The man doesn't flinch like everyone else. He Guotin is used to her spear-like stares after twenty years. He shoots her a disarming smile as if to parry her look.
"Now, Tanisha, how would it look if I just left my subordinates to go venture on my own. Whom am I supposed to leave in command, especially when our very own Blood Thorn is working on her own Story?" He gives her a pointed look that she rolls her eyes at.
"You just enjoy living up to your nickname of the Iron Commander," Tanisha Prakash quips in annoyance at hearing the title given to her ages ago. Goutin laughs and a few of the other members chuckle. They all knew she took pride in being the Blood Thorn, a solitary player who would back up Blueriver when called. Goutin in turn enjoyed leading the people under him, fighting together as one. Renovel seemed perfect for both of them.
"And it seems young Tara decided to take the name we gave her and make something of herself. Whitmount Jr. must be frothing at the mouth." Tanisha lets out a cackle.
"We're bound to see some new recruits after that video. Can't wait to whip them into shape." Guotin cheers, cracking his knuckles. It had been a while since fresh blood had undergone his training sessions.
***
Though she was sore about not seeing the movie (it was one she really wanted to see) Kristen takes Tara home all smiles after the match. She didn't even ask about the weirdness of what was going on, instead letting Tara keep her secrets.
"I'll see you later." Kristen beams before leaning down and kissing Tara on the cheek. Tara places a hand on her cheek as she watches Kristen practically dance back to her ride.
"Looks like your first date went great." Karuna smiles as she and Xia stand in an open doorway. Tara's cheeks redden as she spins on her heel and pushes parents back into the house.
"You won't have to worry about anybody at your heels at the party coming up." Xia says as they enter the foyer and sit down. Freshly made hot mint chocolate and Karuna's angel food cake are already present.
"Will this cause problems? What party?" Tara cuts herself a piece of cake, taking a seat in-between her mothers.
"That match with the Whitmont boy was essentially a declaration of war to White Mountain. Because you're a Story mode player they can't directly interfere with you. Still, they won't take such a public loss quietly, especially since their heir was involved. Today's events will be remembered but father will likely use this to recruit people." Xia speculates as she takes a sip of her drink.
While her wife took an interest in the skills and play styles of virtual gamers, Xia's fascination was with how players interacted with each other and NPCs. Her father had enjoyed the glory and honor the games brought him, with many of Xia's own bedtime stories about his exploits of monsters he had really slain or foes he had fended off. So after years of watching and listening, Xia could anticipate how both groups would react within a respectable margin.
"When is it?"
"What day was Whitmont's birthday again?" Karuna speaks up this time before bringing a piece of cake to her lips.
"Grandfather wouldn't!"
Xia merely winks at her daughter as she takes another sip.
Tara takes a bath and puts on her pajamas after dinner with her moms. She puts on her gamer helmet and is immediately brought into the virtual space.
[Guests have arrived at your restaurant! Go and greet them!]
Tara's happy to find the cafe and tavern was getting used. She enters through the doorway, immediately recognizing all of her classmates happily snacking away and doing some pre-session planning.
As if sensing Tara, Kristen glances up from who she was chatting with and blushes heavily. Kristen hadn't expected to get an invitation to this chat room and run into Tara so soon because they were on different servers! This doesn't go unnoticed by who she was with. The emotionally perceptive Renee and sharp witted Qisma are grinning at the blushing duo.
"A person in a green hijab was looking for you!" Qisma tells Tara as a way of saving them some face. Qisma was delighted to see Pakeeja, and they chatted briefly before Kristen had arrived.
Tara glances around and can't find the familiar look of her new acquaintance. Sure, her friends looked a little different because of their in-game gear or features from their clans, but they were mostly the same. Tara can still recognize Qisma and Renee with the two major differences being Qisma's brown eyes faintly glowing blue and Renee's hair literally aflame.
"I saw her go into a room with a pink door! It's got three zees on it!" Renee pipes up, pointing to the far side of the combined cafe and tavern. Tara looks over and sees the door, and it's funny because despite only being in a virtual space instead of the game space, she feels a psychic energy exuding from the door.
She gives them all a quick goodbye, giving a chaste kiss to Kristen's cheek which causes all of her classmates who are watching to whoop and whistle, before opening the door.
Tara enters a white room similar to when she met the ancient spirit's consciousness. Five people were seated at a table. The first person was familiar.
Dressed in a green and silver tunic with black leather armor, the recognizable hawkish eyes look at Tara. The same green feathered reptile tail swishes about and it's then Tara notices something else: Pakeeja's irises weren't round but diamond shaped! Was it because of the ancestry she was given within her Story?
Cascading silver blonde ringlets of hair flowed down the back of the person on Pakeeja's right. Adorned with heavy silver plate armor over a gorgeous flowing golden gown. A bardiche leans against their chair, polearm black as onyx and blade made of a dark gray metal. Tara would assume they were human if it weren't for the curious icy blue eyes having triangular pupils and slightly pointed ears.
To Pakeeja's left is another person. They were behind several hovering translucent screens, russet brown fingers slipping from behind blue robes and dancing in the air. Braided black hair rests underneath a blue mage's cap. Thick and charming eyebrows are furrowed in concentration as kind and intelligent carnelian eyes seem to be running multiple programs.
It was then Tara clicked that these two people were from her earlier vision, this was just their appearance outside of their Stories!
The final two people sat on either side of an empty seat, presumably for Tara.
Warm brown skin blends well with the lavender and black kimono, as dark eyes glare at Tara for some reason. Two black weaponless handles are at this tall and lanky person's side with the blades missing. Dreadlocks stop short of their shoulders as the tops are beautifully braided into rows. Like Tara who took after both her parents in some looks, they were clearly biracial from their features from two very different people.
It's the symbol of Ithembe on the necklace of the last person, rotund and bulky, that catches her off guard. It resembled a cross but with waves pierced through by an arrow. This person wore a flowing white blouse with puffed up sleeves, laced up boots, a tricorn hat, and a longbow plus a quiver strapped to her back. Despite looking human her irises were squared!
"I wasn't expecting you of all people to have the Dream Connect skill. And what? You don't have the skill to create your own identity?" The kimono wearing person speaks in Japanese. Everyone looks confused as the auto-translation is supposed to erase language barriers without losing culture.
"Sorry, sorry, messed up the wrong section," Comes a midwestern accent from the mage. They came from Western America, Tara realizes. Just before the birth of virtual realities some years ago, America had been divided between the East and West. With the capital relocated to the very center of the States and a new dual presidency for each side, things had shifted and changed for the better. "Well, okay, try it now."
"Why are you glaring at me? We've literally just met!" Tara cries at the girl next to her as she sits down. Two words were all that needed to be said for Tara to understand the hostility:
"Humilty's Blade."